HIGHLY-PAID Essex council officials could face huge wage cuts as the new Government starts a review of “exorbitant” pay deals.

Coalition ministers say six-figure salaries for local authority chief executives have not been matched by improvements in performance.

Prime Minister David Cameron has slashed his own wage to £142,000 and says public sector workers earning more will need direct approval from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

The tough new stance looks likely to have consequences for Essex County Council chief Joanna Killian, who earns £230,000, nearly £90,000 more than Mr Cameron. There may also be implications for other council leaders.

Colchester Council’s top man Adrian Pritchard picked up about £100,000, Basildon Council’s chief executive Bala Mahendran earned a basic salary of £151,929 last year and Southend Council’s chief executive Rob Tinlin is thought to take home a salary of between £150,000 and £159,000.

Councillors’ allowances are also under the microscope.

Colchester Lib Dem MP Bob Russell has written to Eric Pickles, the Local Government Minister, demanding a probe into an £8,000 average pay hike for members of Essex County Council.

Conservative Mr Pickles, MP for Brentwood and Ongar, said: “There is widespread public concern about soaring salaries in local government, with chief executives moving from council to council like football managers.”

Mr Russell said: “The county council leader’s allowance has gone up to £53,000 while for cabinet members the increase is up by around £8,000 to £35,310.

“How can this be justified at a time when we all know the country faces huge cuts in public expenditure?”